New Delhi [India], February 25 The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Tuesday proposed a major reform in the Class X examination system, introducing two board exams from the 2025-26 academic session.
This move aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to reduce academic pressure by offering students a chance to improve their scores.
The proposal was discussed in a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Education, chaired by the Union Minister of Education. A draft policy released on Tuesday has been developed and uploaded on the CBSE website (https://www.cbse.gov.in), inviting feedback from schools, teachers, parents, and students until March 9, 2025.
The NEP 2020 recommends conducting Class X and XII board exams twice a year to reduce student stress and provide more opportunities for improvement. It emphasises a shift from rote learning to a competency-based assessment, allowing students to retain their best score while making exams more flexible and student-friendly.
As per the draft policy, the first phase of exams is scheduled from February 17 to March 6, while the second phase will be conducted from May 5 to May 20.
In 2026, about 26.60 lakh Class X students and 20 lakh Class XII students are expected to take the exams.
Both examinations will cover the entire syllabus from current textbooks. Core subjects such as Science, Mathematics, Social Science, Hindi, and English will follow a fixed examination schedule, while regional and foreign languages will be tested on a single day, as per the norms.
The draft noted that exams for elective subjects like Data Science will be conducted two or three times, with students assigned a date based on CBSE's internal scheduling system.
According to the draft policy, "students will have the flexibility to appear for the Board examination twice a year, with the best score being considered for the final certification."
It further states, "This initiative is intended to reduce the stress of appearing for a single high-stakes examination and provide students with an additional opportunity to improve their scores."
CBSE has clarified that the policy will be finalised after reviewing feedback from all stakeholders, and examination by-laws will be amended accordingly. To ensure smooth execution, CBSE will assess schools before designating them as examination centres, and self-centers will not be permitted. "Only on National Gazetted Holidays will examinations not be conducted," the draft policy states, meaning exams may still take place on restricted and state holidays.
Two Board exams will now serve as both - regular and supplementary exams, eliminating the need for a separate re-examination.
The final mark sheet will reflect scores from both exams and practical/internal assessment and the better of the two scores will be highlighted.
Students failing the first exam may still be admitted to Class XI provisionally, with final admission depending on the second exam results.
CBSE will collect fees upfront for both exams, which will be non-refundable. Practical and internal assessments will be conducted once per academic year, and merit certificates will be issued only after the second examination. The examination schedule will remain fixed without any deviations, and students will not be allowed to select their exam dates.